am i allowed to look after my friends little one

[woahthere]

I am a childminder. My friend is having physical and emotional problems, serious ones. She is not capable of looking after her 2 year old and has asked me to look after her for a week at my house. I have in principal agreed to it but am now worrying that I shouldnt have. She will be sleeping over but I do not have overnight registration. However, I am not asking to be paid for looking after her. In my eyes she is going to be here as extended family but will Ofsted see it this way? Also, there are 2 days when it would put me over my numbers, but I thought that I could send my own child to his grandmas so in effect substituting one child for another. Am i completely out of order, am I allowed to do this or will I get into trouble if anybody found out?

I have a feeling that it's okay as a one off, but if you were doing it regularly it might be problematic.

You can't replace your own child with another you need to ring ofsted and get a variation for the daytimes. overnight shouldn't be an issue as you're not being paid but your own child counts no matter where they are. I have to use ond of my spaces if I have my niece whilst I'm working.

I did ring them about it last week and they sent me a form for variation, then I wasnt sure if I was having her so I didnt send it straight away, then I found out I was but they are closed until Tuesday and Im supposed to be having her from tomorrow. Not a problem for tomorrow because Im not working but on Tuesday I am. Im so worried, Im trying to help but Im getting really stressed about it. Also the form completely doesnt seem to apply to my situation, it says its only for continuity of care or siblings...this applies to neither, it needs loads of information, AND its asking me to measure my floor space which just seems ridiculous!

Just ring at 8am on tues morning and say it was an emergency and they should grant it over the phone

Could your mum or whoever was going to have yours be at yours instead and responsible for your friends child while you work?

I would explore other options, as South345 suggests - if your mum is around to care for your son, then she's around to care for this child isn't she. As she would be paid to do so, she would not need to be a registered childminder. Your mum would only be needed during times when you would otherwise be over numbers - so work out when occurs and see if your mum would care for the child, at your mums home, during that time (in agreement with the child's parents of course).

Then you don't need the variation and you don't need to contact at all really, as you are not being paid for overnight care.

it says its only for continuity of care or siblings

So as it's neither of those, they are unlike to grant a variation - especially if you are already at the max of 6 in early years group.

They may as I got one granted once because my sil was really poorly and I had my niece who I didn't childmind, it's worth a try but you really need a back up plan in case they say no.

when i rang ofsted they did give me the impression that i would be granted a variation, however i think the idea of getting mum in law round is great, that way i dont have to bother with the variation at all...duh, why didnt i think of that! ive actually cancelled one of my little ones for tuesday to give me more time as i knew she wasnt working or anything (and she owed me a favour really so im not taking the mick) so i feel better now, thank you!

Having MIL come to you may not be a solution, as the number of children on premises may be too many. However would anyone see you? If anyone was to moan, MIL could take the child out for a walk.

Its ok if mil there but has sole care of friends child, my cm friend used to come to mine so we would have 6 children buts thats ok as long as i only have 3

I'm not sure about how this impinges on you as a childminder but you need to think about the welfare of a toddler who will suddenly be away from his main carer for a week. What happens if Mum can't take him back?

I think you can get some kind of temporary foster care in these circumstances but it may be best for the child if he stays with someone who will be able to take him on for longer term. Serious mental and emotional problems don't disappear in a week.

If your own child will be with other childcare it means you have a space for that day, so it will be fine to look after this child.

The over night doesn't count as you are not being paid for looking after the child its just as if a friend is coming to stay for a week.

You don't need to get a variation as long as your not over your numbers

Marypoppins that isnt correct, your certificate will say you can care for x number of children this never includes your own as they come off the 6 automatically as they count no matter where they are.

but surely ur still within your 6 if u didn't have ur child so wouldn't actually be caring for more children than your allowed. In Scotland the wording on our certficate is better it sayscaring for no. More than 6. Children this includes the childmindes children . So in this senario I would b ok as long as My child was not there

In England they take yours off so mine says no more than 4 - 2 of which can be under 5, I could have 4 5-8 year olds but never more than 2 under 5's.

It is no more than 6 including your own, so if your own isn't there then there is a space available. The best thing the op can do is speak to ofsted, however a variation would not be needed as the op is not being paid to care for this child.

It is no more than 6 including your own, so if your own isn't there then there is a space available. The best thing the op can do is speak to ofsted, however a variation would not be needed as the op is not being paid to care for this child.

As long as you are not over your numbers a variation is not needed. It is fine to send your own child to Granny's to keep you within your numbers and as long as your friend's child doesn't take you over your numbers then you are fine.

If you are registered to have 2 under 5's that does not include any children of your own as ofsted will have taken your children into consideration.

Having a friend's child overnight as a favour and not for payment is nothing to do with ofsted.

She only needs a variation if it takes her over the number of under 5's which op said it did on 2 days - the op needs to go by her certificate and contact ofsted but you cannot substitute your own children with others, otherwise childminders would constantly be sending kids off to granny's to take more kids on.

You still need a variation even if you're not being paid I had to get one to care for my niece.